With the recent discussions about Apps and how consumers want the freedom to find, evaluate, and purchase Apps for their Smartphones, I wonder how many users are able download and use a productivity application and how many have policies that prevent them from doing so.

If you found a productivity application for your mobile device that was proven to increase your performance, would you: a) be allowed to install it? b) encounter resistance (or refusal) from IT to allow you to install it? c) make a business case to management for why this App should be allowed?

Please take a moment to vote in one of the two quick polls below, then visit the
Notes on Productivity blog to share your comments.

Update: The survey is now closed. View the results below

I'm not asking whether you think Smartphones connected to enterprise systems should be locked down or not - there are many valid arguments for both sides of that discussion. What I most want to know is what the current climate is like when it comes to productivity applications on mobile devices and what organizations are doing to encourage/permit or discourage/restrict users from downloading and using productivity applications on their mobile devices.

Update: I split the question into two separate polls because otherwise the results could be skewed in favor of the iPhone/Android as these devices are often unmanaged/uncontrolled in the enterprise.

Discussion/Comments (5):

Does your employer allow you to use productivity Apps on your Blackberry, iPhone or Android?

Eric,

I think what you might find is that iPhone's and Androids are usually bought by the individual, not the company, that is my arrangement.

I just use our Traveler server for the conveinence of keeping up with my mail. In the SMB space, I'll think you'll find this happening more and more, just give access and not worry about have to keep up costly plans, and maybe throw a small allowance to the employee for the use of the phone.

It would have been cool to have a follow up question about whether or not the company supplied the phone, I think you might get some interesting results.

Does your employer allow you to use productivity Apps on your Blackberry, iPhone or Android?

Our SMB does just what Bill Dorge is talking about. The company will pay for a Blackberry and pushes email through the BES. If you want any other type of phone, you buy it yourself and then use Traveler. If you own the phone, you receive a stipend for the business to "use" the phone. Most people like this arrangement because then they can get the phone they want. Since they would probably have a phone anyway, whether or not for business, the small stipend helps offset the cost a bit (half a loaf of bread ...)We just ask them to tell us when the phone is lost/stolen so that we can stop re-direction.